NGA Resumes Search for CEO

The National Grocers Association search committee seeking a successor to Thomas K. Zaucha as NGA president and chief executive officer reconvened last week, NGA officials told SN. That move followed the decision earlier in the week by Mike Jackson not to accept the position he had agreed to accept in mid-December. Jackson cited personal reasons, NGA said, but did not elaborate. Jackson

That move followed the decision earlier in the week by Mike Jackson not to accept the position he had agreed to accept in mid-December. Jackson cited “personal reasons,” NGA said, but did not elaborate. Jackson was formerly president and chief operating officer of Supervalu, Minneapolis.

Zaucha is scheduled to retire in June after 29 years heading NGA. Jackson was scheduled to formally succeed Zaucha on March 1.

Chris Coborn, president and CEO of Coborn's, St. Cloud, Minn., and NGA chairman, said the association expects to select a successor “in the near future.”

“Fortunately, the selection committee, in conjunction with a search firm, conducted an exhaustive search that identified a number of very qualified professionals. The committee will now reconvene [to select] a successor.”

It was not clear last week if the search committee would simply recommend its second choice to take Jackson's place or conduct a further search.

Rich Niemann Jr., president and CEO of Niemann Foods, Quincy, Ill., and chairman of NGA's search committee, said the process that ended with the selection of Jackson began last June, shortly after Zaucha announced his plans to retire.

NGA hired the Washington, D.C., offices of Russell Reynolds Associates, New York, as the search firm.